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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Saracenus" data-source="post: 9663268" data-attributes="member: 47839">Ok, here is a different room in the same "dungeon" I am converting.This is an example what I call a resource burning encounter. It is, at best, something that would make the party use up spells, consumables, healing, etc.); a pretty prevalent dungeon design philosophy from the early days of D&D.Instead I wanted to challenge the players with a different kind of monster as a change of pace; I wanted it to be one that is a damage sponge but vulnerable to area effect spells, thus rewarding players that invest in such things. Don't get me wrong this encounter could burn resources but it will be fundamentally different from the rest of the encounters on this level.[HR][/HR][SPOILER="Gary Gygax's Original Dungeon Key Entry From A 1e Adventure"]12. CORNER ROOMAfter one of their number was slain here a few weeks ago, the brigands gave this room and the entry corridor a wide berth. A huge adder, over 12 feet long, dwells here. It crawled up the rubble spilled into the moat, and found a nice safe lair where it could hole up after hunting. In the litter of its nesting place is a jeweled dagger worth 850 gp.Giant Snake: AC 5; HD 4 + 2; hp 23; MV 15"; #At 1; D 1-3 + poison (take 2-8 points added damage, or 1-3 if the saving throw is made); XP 505[/SPOILER]Here is my version for 5e:<h3>MH12. CORNER ROOM</h3>A few weeks ago an outlaw (see area MH7. THE BLACK CHAMBER) was exploring and stumbled into two swarm of adders nesting here (the nest is in the SW corner). The swarms attacked her and in the ensuing struggle she succumbed to her multiple injuries and the poison injected into her body.One swarm was destroyed by the outlaws during their search for their missing comrade. After recovering her body and gear they now avoid this room and the hallway leading to it.The remaining swarm ate their dead compatriots and are now satiated. They only get aggressive and attack if the nest is directly threatened. In the litter of their nest is a bejeweled dagger.5e Statblock:* Swarm of adders (1): <a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/5195231-swarm-of-venomous-snakes" target="_blank">Swarm of Venomous Snakes</a> CR 2; HP: 36, Bloodied at 18.Treasure:* A bejeweled dagger (worth 850 gp)[HR][/HR]So here is my intent, I want the PCs to know there is some kind of danger but not make it super obvious what it is. There are two entry points, either from the interior of the building or from the outside via a collapsed wall, since the snakes are "full" the PCs have time to investigate so long as they do not get too close to the nest in the SW corner of the room.Now they have a choice.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do they ignore the clues in front of them or do they investigate to see if they can figure out what happened.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do they back away or do they temp fate and push in.</li> </ul>I have given the players a situation to interact with while providing DM enough info to improvise the answers to any type of investigating they chose to do.Also, if they notice the dagger in the nest (not super likely) and see a few tiny snakes around it; that doesn't scream immediate danger, but oh boy, it go sideways fast if they try to recover it triggering the swarm attack.I find this a more satisfying encounter now than the original because I felt that it originally a bland repetition of an already existing encounter with a giant lizard at the other end of the building.NOTE: I am going to address the bejeweled dagger in my next post and use it as an example of telling a story or giving secrets and clues to the players al la [USER=54840]@SlyFlourish[/USER] work in his blogs and the Lazy DM series of books he has written. Thanks Mike, you have made me a better DM even though I have been doing this since 1979.</blockquote>

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